Travelers To New Orleans Can Catch Unique NOLA Experiences This Summer

Things are heating up in New Orleans this summer with a variety of events that include tasty traditions and sultry tunes. Visit the Crescent City in the month of August to experience these annual celebrations.

COOLinary New Orleans

Each summer, a slew of eateries all across the Crescent City take part in the gastronomic extravaganza called "COOLinary New Orleans". Many of The Big Easy’s finest restaurants participate in this citywide celebration of New Orleans’ iconic cuisine by offering prix-fixe menus, with signature items specially curated for the occasion, at the most unbeatable prices. 

A two- or three-course lunch should cost you $25 or less, while three-course dinners and brunches can be had for $50 or less. Residents and visitors alike can savor top-notch traditional Creole and Cajun fare, prepared by some of the city’s most famous and enduring dining establishments. Or, perhaps your tastes run more toward the modern spins on New Orleans classics, like fusion fare or local favorite dishes influenced by other global cuisines.

“New Orleans, a city of less than 400,000 people, boasts a culinary and cultural scene that rivals or exceeds our competitor cities with millions of residents,” Walter J. Leger III, President and CEO of destination management organization New Orleans & Company, said in a statement. He added that programs like COOLinary offer, “the perfect opportunity for locals to plan a staycation and re-discover the cultural treasures in every neighborhood in our city. And, it gives us timely programming to attract visitors regionally, nationally and internationally at a time when our members really need it.”

Now in its 19^th year, the COOLinary New Orleans month-long event is NOLA’s tastiest summer tradition and runs from August 1-31, 2023, and this year will feature more than 100 participating restaurants.

One of the many local dishes to try during COOLinary New Orleans. (Source: (photo via Paul Broussard / New Orleans & Company))

Satchmo SummerFest

Satchmo SummerFest is one of the world’s only festivals dedicated especially to honoring New Orleans' own native son and acclaimed music industry legend Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong. It’s a two-day celebration of the life and work of this iconic jazz and blues artist, who helped to define an incredibly influential genre and share it with all the world.

The festival will feature two live-music stages, a fantastic lineup of culinary offerings from Louisiana restaurants and an incredible indoor lecture series aimed at educating attendees about Armstrong’s history, legacy and enduring impact. Armstrong is widely recognized as a founding father of jazz—a unique and wholly original American art form that quickly began taking the world by storm and gave birth to several other styles of music. Acts that perform at the Satchmo SummerFest typically range from traditional jazz and swing to brass bands and marching bands, jazz fusion, funk, R&B, and more.

Satchmo SummerFest will take place this year from August 6-7, 2023, at the New Orleans Jazz Museum, situated on the grounds of the old U.S. Mint in the city’s historic French Quarter. The event is open to the public and admission is free, with no tickets or reservations required.

Da Truth Brass Band performs at Satchmo Summerfest in New Orleans. (Source: New Orleans & Company)

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